Processing apparatus with conveyer and controller to output request signal and stop instruction signal

Abstract

A processing apparatus includes a unit processing an object, a first conveyer to perform conveyance of the object between the unit and a station arranged between an external apparatus and the unit, the external apparatus including a second conveyer to hold the object with a hand thereof to perform conveyance of the object to or from the station, and a controller to output a request signal and a stop instruction signal. The request signal requests the external apparatus to perform the conveyance by the second conveyer, and is output before the processing apparatus becomes a state to allow the second conveyer to perform the conveyance, and the stop instruction signal instructs the external apparatus to stop the hand and is output based on a state of the processing apparatus after an output of the request signal and before the conveyance of the second conveyer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A processing apparatus including a processing unit which processes an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a first conveyer configured to hold the object with a first hand included therein and to perform conveyance of the object between the processing unit and a station arranged between an external apparatus, which is separate from the processing apparatus, and the processing unit, the external apparatus including: (a) a second conveyer configured to hold the object with a second hand included therein and to perform conveyance of the object to the station or from the station, and (b) a second controller configured to control the conveyance by the second conveyer; and 
 a first controller configured to output a request signal and a stop instruction signal to the second controller, 
 wherein the request signal is a signal for requesting the external apparatus to perform the conveyance by the second conveyer, and is output before the first hand reaches a first position, where a collision of the first hand or the object held by the first hand with the second hand or the object held by the second hand can be avoided, from a second position where the collision cannot be avoided, the processing apparatus comprising an interface via which a preset time is changeable, the first controller outputting the request signal at the preset time before an estimated time for the first hand to reach the first position, and 
 wherein the stop instruction signal is a signal which instructs the external apparatus to stop the second hand, the first controller being configured to output the stop instruction signal, if it is determined, based on a state of the processing apparatus after an output of the request signal, that the collision may occur because the first hand is at the second position. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stop instruction signal is output in a state where unloading of the object from the station by the first conveyer is not completed. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stop instruction signal is output in a state where loading of the object to the station by the first conveyer is not completed. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an object detection sensor configured to detect that the object is placed on the station, and 
 an entrance detection sensor configured to detect that one of the second hand and the object held by the second hand has entered a predetermined region associated with the station, 
 wherein the first controller is configured to output the stop instruction signal based on outputs from the object detection sensor and the entrance detection sensor. 
 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a non-retreat detection sensor configured to detect that the first hand has not retreated to a predetermined region away from the station, and 
 an entrance detection sensor which detects that one of the second hand and the object held by the second hand has entered a predetermined region associated with the station, 
 wherein the first controller is configured to output the stop instruction signal based on outputs from the non-retreat detection sensor and the entrance detection sensor. 
 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to expose a substrate as the object to radiant energy. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the request signal comprises a signal which requests the external apparatus to perform the conveyance of the substrate to the station by the second conveyer. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the request signal comprises a signal which requests the external apparatus to perform the conveyance of the substrate from the station by the second conveyer. 
     
     
       9. A method of manufacturing a device, the method comprising:
 exposing a substrate to radiant energy using the processing apparatus defined in claim  6 ; 
 developing the exposed substrate; and 
 processing the developed substrate to manufacture the device. 
 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface is a user interface via which information of the preset time is input. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to output a signal to the second controller by changing a logic level of a signal line. 
     
     
       12. A processing apparatus including a processing unit which processes an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a first conveyer configured to perform conveyance of the object between the processing unit and a support arranged at a position between an external apparatus, which is separate from the processing apparatus, and the processing unit; and 
 a controller configured to output a state signal and a stop instruction signal, 
 wherein the external apparatus includes a second conveyer configured to perform conveyance of the object, and to start conveyance of the object to or from the support arranged at the position in response to the state signal, 
 wherein the state signal is a signal indicating that the processing apparatus has reached a first state of the processing apparatus, in which the conveyance by the second conveyer is enabled, and is output before the processing apparatus reaches the first state from a second state of the processing apparatus, in which the conveyance by the second conveyer is not enabled, the processing apparatus comprising an interface via which a preset time is changeable, the controller outputting the state signal at the preset time before an estimated time for the processing apparatus to reach the first state from the second state, and 
 wherein the stop instruction signal is a signal which instructs the external apparatus to stop the conveyance, the controller being configured to output the stop instruction signal, if it is determined by the controller, based on a state of the processing apparatus after output of the state signal, that the processing apparatus cannot reach the first state from the second state. 
 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is configured to expose the object to radiant energy. 
     
     
       14. A method of manufacturing a device, the method comprising:
 exposing an object to radiant energy using the processing apparatus defined in  claim 13 ; 
 developing the exposed object; and 
 processing the developed object to manufacture the device. 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the interface is a user interface via which information of the preset time is input. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to output a signal to the second controller by changing a logic level of a signal line. 
     
     
       17. A processing apparatus including a processing unit which processes an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a first conveyer configured to hold the object with a first hand included therein and to perform conveyance of the object between the processing unit and a station arranged between an external apparatus, which is separate from the processing apparatus, and the processing unit, the external apparatus including: (a) a second conveyer configured to hold the object with a second hand included therein and to perform conveyance of the object to the station or from the station, and (b) a second controller configured to control the conveyance by the second conveyer; and 
 a first controller configured to output a request signal to the second controller, 
 wherein the request signal is a signal for requesting the external apparatus to perform the conveyance by the second conveyer, and is output before the first hand reaches a first position, where a collision of the first hand or the object held by the first hand with the second hand or the object held by the second hand can be avoided, from a second position where the collision cannot be avoided, the processing apparatus comprising an interface via which a preset time is changeable, the first controller outputting the request signal at the preset time before an estimated time for the first hand to reach the first position. 
 
     
     
       18. A processing apparatus including a processing unit which processes an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a first conveyer configured to perform conveyance of the object between the processing unit and a support arranged at a position between an external apparatus, which is separate from the processing apparatus, and the processing unit; and 
 a controller configured to output a state signal, 
 wherein the external apparatus includes a second conveyer configured to perform conveyance of the object, and to start conveyance of the object to or from the support arranged at the position in response to the state signal, and 
 wherein the state signal is a signal indicating that the processing apparatus has reached a first state of the processing apparatus, in which the conveyance by the second conveyer is enabled, and is output before the processing apparatus reaches the first state from a second state of the processing apparatus, in which the conveyance by the second conveyer is not enabled, the processing apparatus comprising an interface via which a preset time is changeable, the controller outputting the state signal at the preset time before an estimated time for the processing apparatus to reach the first state from the second state.